I am employed at a nursing home in Holdrege, NE so the COVID-19 vaccine was offered to me in early January. Some students may be wondering about whether or not they should get the COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available to them. I was in the same boat for weeks. Working at a nursing home made me understand that I should get the vaccine to possibly help keep my residents safe. I’m not going to lie, I was terrified. Since the COVID-19 vaccine is so new and is still being studied, I was  worried about what I was putting in my body.  

After a lot of time thinking about whether or not I would get the vaccine, I decided to wait until I could see if anyone suffered major side effects. I’m not a huge risk-taker so getting a vaccine that has very little testing concerns me. As a young woman, I like to know exactly what is going into my body and how it’s going to affect me in the future. 

The COVID-19 vaccine is a heavily debated topic, but at the end of the day, I think it is every individual’s choice. If people don’t think the vaccine is the right thing for them then they shouldn’t feel pressured to receive it. Do research and learn more about it before rushing into getting it, even if everyone is saying otherwise. In reference to the very popular opinion, “My body, my choice,” I firmly believe that also applies to taking the vaccine. 

It feels frustrating that everyone has an opinion about what they want other people to do. We need to work better at coming together as one and not judging people for the choices they decide to make. In the end, the disagreement doesn’t affect us the way that we think it is going to. 

People need to respect others’ opinions, even if they disagree. This philosophy applies to the controversy surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine.